How to Strengthen Ankles: Reduce Sprains and Instability

How to strengthen ankles, especially when you’re an active, outdoor kind of guy, is something that should be on your list of things to know. When you’re on the hiking trails, out for a run, or playing that pick-up game with the guys, your ankles take a real beating. If your ankles are weak or unstable, you have a higher risk of sprains, chronic pain, or even a nasty roll that can sideline you for weeks to months. By adding ankle strengthening exercises to your routine, you improve your balance, you’ll have a better transfer of power, and you'll have improved confidence on uneven ground.

Prep Before You Strengthen Your Ankles

It’s always advised to warm up before you begin any exercise to strengthen ankles or engage in physical activity to avoid injury and prepare the muscles and joints for what's about to come. Starting at about 5-7 minutes of light movement, such as a brisk walk, some easy cycling, or maybe some jump rope to get the heart rate up and the muscles and joints nice and warm. You can also do some gentle ankle circles and calf stretches to increase the blood flow. Your ankles will respond better to strengthening and balance training when they are nice and warm.

Foundational Ankle Strength Exercises

These exercises strengthen ankles by targeting the muscles that keep your ankle joint stable.

Resistance Band Ankle Flexion

Resistance band exercises are great at building the small stabilizer muscles that prevent rolling the ankle. Sit in a chair or on the floor with your leg extended and loop a resistance band around your foot. Working against the resistance, move your ankle up, down, inward, and outward. You’ll want to do about 12-15 reps on each side and repeat that about 2-3 times. The movement should be slow, and controlled movement matters more than resistance.

Calf Raises (Double + Single Leg)

Having strong calves helps support the ankle during push-offs and landings. Calf raises are great are a great way to strengthen ankles because you don’t need any equipment to perform them. Use a wall for balance if you need to, and rise onto the balls of your feet. Pause at the top, then slowly lower back down. Do 3 sets of 15 double-leg raises and progress to 3 sets of 8-12 single-leg raises as your strength improves.

Balance & Stability Training

These balance exercises are beneficial for hiking trails, uneven terrain, and sports.

Single-Leg Balance Holds

Improving your balance on each leg helps to strengthen ankles by training your body to react quickly to missteps. You’re going to stand on one foot for 30-45 seconds, then switch to the other leg. Do this for 3 rounds and focus on keeping your hips level, and don’t lock your knee. You can progress by closing your eyes or by standing on uneven ground.

Lateral Hops

Lateral hops mimic real-world movements like trail slips or sports cuts. You are going to hop on one foot, going side to side while trying to land softly. Do 2-3 sets of 10 hops on each side. If these feel difficult, try shortening the distance when going side to side. Focus on landing quietly because a noisy landing usually means poor control.

Mobility & Recovery

When you have tight ankles, your range of motion is limited, and that increases your risk of injury. To make your ankles more mobile and lower your injury risk, stretch out your calves after your leg workouts or runs. Add some ankle mobility drills to your routine to get those ankles loosened up and keep them loose once they get there. You can get the foam roller on those calves and lower legs to hit all the muscles in the lower body.

How to Use This in Real Life

An easy way to strengthen ankles is to add these exercises to your routine about 2 or 3 times a week. On days that you get in a run, a hike, or catch a pick-up game, try working on your balance holds to even things out. The important thing to remember is that consistency beats intensity. Your ankles will respond best to a steady training pace rather than going all out once or twice a week. Having strong ankles means fewer injuries and setbacks and more confidence in every step, especially when you're outdoors.

Take Action

Take care of your ankles now, and they will return the favor one day when conditions get sketchy. With these simple exercises, you can finish that next hike strong instead of limping back to camp. It doesn’t require any equipment or a long workout to get strong ankles and build a solid foundation. While you’re working to strengthen your ankles, here is a lace-up ankle brace that can provide extra support when you need it on the trails or on the courts. The side stabilizers are removable, so the brace can adapt to different activities and support levels.